


The Great Uniter's Daughter

by AvatarKai



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Abandonment, Adopted Children, Adoption, Adorable, Airbending & Airbenders, Alternate Universe, Child Abandonment, Cute Kids, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Korrasami is Canon, Minor Violence, Mischief, Multi, Orphans
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-03
Updated: 2018-10-03
Packaged: 2019-06-21 01:35:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15546732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AvatarKai/pseuds/AvatarKai
Summary: What happens when a little girl gets caught stealing from some of the Great Uniter's soldiers?Takes place shortly after Kuvira left Zaofu to stabilize the Earth Kingdom





	1. Chapter One: Thief

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Legend of Korra fanfiction. Hope you like it. Please feel free to comment your thoughts. Greatly appreciated.

Six year old Riko wandered the streets of the Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se, head lowered and hands clutching her rumbling stomach. It had been four days since she'd had some decent food and it was taking its toll on the frail girl's body. The green eyed girl scanned the streets. Soldiers in green metal uniforms were placed on every corner.

 _Great Uniter's troops_. The child thought. A few days ago, a woman only known as The Great Uniter marched into Ba Sing Se with her troops, sights set on stabilizing it. Ever since the Earth Queen fell a mere two weeks ago, the Earth Kingdom fell into chaos, Ba Sing Se was the worst. Thugs were running the streets and robbing citizens, everyone from the filthy rich in the Upper Ring to the dirt poor in the Lower Ring, violent Earthbending fights broke out, destroying homes, all kinds of crimes were being committed and people were going hungry.

When the Great Uniter arrived with her battalion of troops, everything changed. Damages were beginning to be repaired, crates of food were given out to the hungry, and criminals were captured. All the looters retreated into alleys instead of robbing in plain sight. Riko heard rumors that criminals caught were made to work as slave laborers.

Riko shuddered at the thought. She had been stealing from people for a few days now to stay alive. But with the Great Uniter's soldiers roaming the streets, it wasn't the best idea to rob somebody. The six year old continued to walk along the dirt road, kicking a small pebble with her bare foot. A sharp pain shot through the girls abdomen, making her yelp quietly. She fell to one scuffed knee, tightening her grip on her small belly.  _Gotta keep goin'_ _._ She thought determinedly.  _Maybe I'll find some food._

Her prayers were answered when she came across a group of Great Uniter soldiers. They were seated in front of a huge airship, seemingly on lunch break. They had dozens of crates of food off to the side. The best part was that they had they were too busy talking.

 _Bingo!_ Riko grinned as she eyed the crates. She knew she couldn't just walk up there all willy nilly. She'd have to be very discreet.

"Alright, Riko. You got this. Just have to not think of the terrifying consequences of getting caught," the six year old said to herself.  With the skill of a fox antelope, Riko stalked over to the stack of unsupervised crates of food, hiding behind them to avoid being spotted. She peered overhead. The two were still chatting away while stuffing their faces with bowls of rice. Riko peered into one of the crates. Inside were various fruits, including her favorites: apples, pitaya, lychee, and moon peaches. A huge smile spread across the six year old's face. Eagerly, she started grabbing the assorted fruit and, placing them in the pocket of her tattered jacket. After taking about two handfuls of lychee, she couldn't help herself. She reached for a moon peach and sank her teeth into the flesh. She hummed at the sweet and familiar taste. Riko grabbed an apple and took a bite into that as well. The poor girl was starving.

As she munched on her spoils, Riko failed to notice two metalbenders coming from behind the airship. They had just finished refueling the airship and were about to take a lunch break when they spotted the raggedy six year old.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" A male voice barked, startling the green eyed girl. Riko gulped and slowly turned around, body starting to tremble. The metalbenders had the same green uniform as the other soldiers, the only difference was they were wearing masks that hid their faces. The soldier's outburst alerted the guards in front of the airship and they entered the scene. Riko was surrounded.

Her shamrock green eyes flickered wildly back and forth between the four men surrounding her all of them were pretty muscular. Her hands shook with fear and her heart rate increased. One of the soldiers took a step forward. "Relax, we're not going to hurt you," he said, raising his hands up in submission.

 _Yeah right!_ Riko shouted in her head.  _There's no way I'll trust these guys! They'll take me away to a labor camp!_ Riko took one step back, her back against the wooden crates.

"L-Leave me alone..." Riko quivered, her body shaking even more.

"We just want to help you, kid," the other metalbender replied, taking two steps forward. "If you would just come with us-" He didn't get to finish his sentence as Riko shot a forceful blast of wind at him, knocking him off his feet.

"What was that for?!" The other three started to close in on the six year old.

"Get away from me!" She shrieked, sending blasts of wind in the other three men's direction. She dropped the fruit in her hand and made a run for it. She ran through the streets as fast as her scrawny little legs could carry her. Riko looked behind her to see the two masked metalbenders hot on her trail. The child punched the air, sending another gust of wind their way. The blast caused the two soldiers to fall.

Riko smiled triumphantly but her victory was short-lived. She tripped over a rock and tumbled to the ground with a grunt, scraping her already bruised and scuffed up arms and legs. The tiny Airbender groaned as she struggled to pick herself up. Her limbs stung as gravel and bits of glass were embedded into her skin. She tried to stand, but a sharp pain shot up her leg, forcing the child back down. Tears sprung in her eyes.

The two metalbenders had recovered and caught up to the child. Riko's blast of air had blown their helmets off, revealing their faces. And their faces were far from friendly.

"Gotcha now, ya little runt!" The beefiest looking one growled. The tiny child's heart hammered in her chest as they started walking towards her. "Y'know, you're not too young to be sent to a reeducation camp." Blinking back her tears, Riko quickly scrambled backwards until her back collided with a wall. Or so she thought.

 _This isn't a wall..._ She concluded. She turned her head and was met with some dark green military boots. Her eyes continued upward until her big shamrock eyes met stern fern green ones. She turned her attention back to the metalbenders who were about a foot away from the pair. Making a bold decision, she quickly hid behind the woman's legs, using her as a human shield. She peeked out from between her legs.

The woman looked back at the frightened child in surprise before turning her attention to the soldiers. She raised her hand, causing them to halt. The beefy one glared at Riko.

"B-But Great Uniter...she-" The woman gave him a sharp, stern look that shut him up. Riko's blood ran cold.  _D-Did he just call her..._ Riko slowly looked up at the woman who saved her.  _Oh shoot! She's the Great Uniter everyone's been talking about! I've gotta get outta here before she throws me in a labor camp!_ Riko thought frantically.

Before she had the chance to move, the Great Uniter lowered herself down to the child's line of sight, examining her. Messy dark brown hair, tattered clothing, and bare feet is what the twenty-two year old saw but her shamrock eyes told a different story. Reaching forward, her gloved hand touched the child's dirt stained cheek.

"So, you were caught stealing from my soldiers, hmm?" The Great Uniter asked rhetorically. Riko didn't respond.

"Just like me," she mumbled to herself. 

_Huh?_

The gears turned in Riko's head as she came to a realization. This woman...this stern, harsh dictator was comparing her, a lowly, poor street child to herself!  _We are nothing alike! She probably never experienced the feeling of abandonment. She most like was never unloved by her own parents, like how I became unloved..._

Tears clouded the child's vision.  _I don't deserve love..._ A few tears slipped, sliding down her dirty face. She leaned her head into the gloved hand, relishing the comfort. Much to her dismay, the Great Uniter slowly withdrew her hand. Riko looked down in embarrassment and in shame. The woman frowned as she eyed the girl.

"What's your name, child?" She questioned softly. 

"R-Riko..." The girl whispered.

"And where are your parents Riko?"

Riko lifted her head to meet the gaze of the raven haired woman. Her expression was much softer than before. Riko felt tears building up in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She had already cried once! 

"Gone," she stated quietly. "They hate me, so I hate them..." she muttered, not intending for the Great Uniter to hear that part.

The Great Uniter pretended not to hear that part. "Well Riko, may I take a look?" She motioned to her wounds. Riko gave her a nod though she didn't understand why this power-crazed dictator was helping her. She was nothing more than a homeless street kid. The woman rolled up her shorts slightly, revealing more black and blue bruises. She refrained from cringing at the sight.

"Are you able to walk?"

"O-Of course I can!" The six year old answered confidently. She pushed herself to her feet. Another jolt of pain shot up her right leg as pressure was put on it.. She hissed, clenching her fists, refusing to cry. The woman watched the child struggle.

"Are you sure you can walk Riko?" She questioned, voice laced with doubt.

"Yes! I-I'm fine. I-I can do it..." she said defiantly.

"Then walk to me," the woman challenged. Accepting the Great Uniter's challenge, Riko took a step, her right foot forward. As soon as her bare foot touched the dirt, a stronger jolt of pain ran up her leg. She cried out in agony and fell face first into the dirt. She brought her arms up, ready to push herself up when a strong pair of arms lifted her off the ground. The two metalbenders eyed the Great Uniter with confusion and curiosity. She waved them off, commanding them to survey the area. The two did as they were told but not before stealing one last glace at their boss holding the street urchin child. They both knew something was about to change.

Kuvira started to make her way back to the airship, cradling the child in her arms. One arm was tucked underneath the child's legs and the other supporting her head. Riko crossed her arms over her chest.

"I can walk..." She muttered.

"Can you now?" The woman responded, raising an eyebrow, slight amusement evident in her voice. Riko quietly sucked her teeth.

"Uh...Great Uniter...miss?" Riko stuttered.

"Yes?" She stopped dead in her tracks and looked down at the girl.

"W-What's your name?" She interrogated.

"You can call me Kuvira." She stated, resuming her walk.  _Kuvira..._ The name echoed in the child's mind. It had a pleasant ring to it. Riko didn't know why, but she felt like she could trust Kuvira, despite encountering here mere minutes ago. At least for the time being. Feeling herself getting tired, Riko snuggled closer to Kuvira, head resting on the cool metal epaulette, eyes fluttering close. Her tiny thumb made its way into her mouth and she sucked on it gently as she drifted off to sleep.

Kuvira eyed the sleeping child. A small smile formed on her lips. She made her way back to the airship.


	2. Chapter Two: Healing and Bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuvira tends to Riko's wounds and the two share a moment over dumplings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so, so, so, so sorry that this took 2 months to get up. I had a bit of writer's block in terms of how I wanted this chapter to be constructed. But it is safe to say that I am 95% pleased with how it turned out. Hope you enjoy.

Riko's green eyes slowly fluttered open, meetimg the curved ceiling of the airship. A thin white blanket covered her small body. Riko took in her surroundings. The room she was in was fairly small with metal walls, a full sized bed, a tall lamp, and a. Above the door was a gray octagon with the Earth Kingdom symbol inside. "Where am I?" She wondered aloud. Suddenly, all the memories came flooding back into her memory bank. Her stealing from the Great Uniter's soldiers, the soldiers chasing her, the Great Uniter helping her.  
  
"Miss Kuvira must have took me on her airship. But...where is she?" Riko muttered. Riko stretched out her arms, legs and back, sighing softly when she heard a few cracks and pops. She peeled the blanket back and slid off the the bed. Pain shot up her leg and forced her down to one knee.  _Forgot about that..._  She thought hissing. The six year old picked herself up and limped towards the door. Just as she was about to twist the knob, the door flew open, nearly hitting her in the face. Riko yelped as she quickly stood back to avoid getting hit, but lost her footing and fell back on her bottom. A woman around Kuvira's age walked into the room. She had raven hair pulled back into a high ponytail and striking golden eyes. Riko stepped back frightened. Concern was plastered on the woman's face.  
  
"Oh my Raava, did I startle you?" The woman asked, even though it was obvious that she had. She took a step closer. Riko trembled. She was still iffy about Kuvira's soldiers. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to. I didn't think you'd be awake," the woman rambled. Noticing the girl's guarded manner, the woman quickly composed herself. She bent down slightly.  
  
"Don't be scared. I won't hurt ya. Promise." Riko still looked a little unconvinced.  
  
"My name is Ren. Kuvira tasked me with checking up on you."  
  
"Do you want me to take you to her?" Ren asked. Slowly, Riko lowered her guard. She nodded silently. Ren stuck out her hand for Riko to take. Riko slipped her hand into Ren's. She held onto Ren's hand tightly as she lead the way to Kuvira's office. Riko stuck to her side like glue as they roamed the hall.  
  
"Can you believe it?"  
  
"She really took a kid off the streets?"  
  
"What was she thinking? We have a whole kingdom to bring order to!"

"She doesn't have time to babysit!"  
  
"Can't say I'm surprised."  
  
Several soldiers whispered as the duo walked past them. Rumor had spread that their leader had taken in a kid off the street, but they thought it was too ridiculous to be true, despite knowing about Kuvira's background. Finally, the duo came to a door at the end of the hall, the same gray insignia plastered on the front. Ren knocked firmly.  
  
"Hey, Kuvira, it's Ren. The child is awake and wants to see you." There was a five second pause before a response was heard. "Very well. Enter," The Great Uniter commanded from inside. Ren twisted the knob before pushing the door open. Kuvira was seated at her desk with a stack of paperwork placed neatly on top. Riko came out from behind the amber-eyed woman.  
  
Kuvira looked up from her desk and smiled slightly when she spotted Riko. "Thank you, Ren. You are dismissed."  
  
Ren saluted before turning to leave. Before she walked out, she turned her head back. "Oh, by the way, Baatar was asking about you." The amber-eyed woman snickered. Kuvira's cheeks burned, turning a bright shade of red, which make Ren's laughter increase.  
  
"J-Just tell him I have important business to attend to, Private Akane." The Great Uniter ordered.  
  
"Yes ma'am." Ren saluted before exiting. Her laughter rung in Kuvira's ears. She sighed before turning her attention to the six-year-old.  
  
"How does your leg feel?"  
  
"It still hurts, but not as much as before," Riko answered truthfully.  
  
Kuvira nodded. "Do you mind if I take a look at your injuries?" Riko shrugged and limped over towards her desk. Kuvira lifted the small girl onto her desk. She reached behind her desk and pulled out a first-aid kit. Kuvira began tending to Riko's wounds. Kuvira was surprised at the amount of cuts, scrapes, and bruises present on the six year old's body.  
  
"How did you get this many injuries?" She questioned as she wrapped gauze around Riko's leg. Riko bit her lip as the memories of abuse came into her mind. The yelling, the beatings...

"I-I fell..." she murmured, twiddling her thumbs. "Down the stairs at home."

Kuvira froze for a second. She had said the exact same thing to Suyin fourteen years ago when the matriarch found then eight year old Kuvira on the streets of Zaofu.

"I think we both know that's not true," Kuvira stated simply.

"I-It is so!" Riko insisted. "You saw how I fell outside. I'm.." Her voice faltered as her gaze lowered to her lap. "Clumsy."

"Right...and you somehow managed to sneak past my soldiers and steal some food." Riko's cheeks turned slightly red as she continued to stare at her lap.

_Man, she knows I'm lying. But, she doesn't understand what I went through. Nobody does and nobody will..._

Kuvira decided to drop it for now. She grabbed a cotton ball and soaked it with isopropyl alcohol. She put it up to the child's face and began to wipe the bloody gash across her left cheek.

"Ow!" Riko flinched back as the alcohol burned her skin. She pushed Kuvira's hand away. "Stay still, Riko. I have to clean it," Kuvira commanded.

"It burns!" Riko complained.

"If I do not clean it, it will get infected and that will hurt even more," Kuvira said sternly. "Would you like that?" Riko didn't say anything. Kuvira tried to clean the wound, but Riko's struggling was making it rather difficult.

Tears sprung in Riko's eyes as her cheek burned. She continued to struggle against Kuvira, which started to frustrate the Great Uniter. One of Riko's flailing arms collided with Kuvira's face. A loud smack echoed through the room.

Riko froze when she realized what she had done. Kuvira was stunned. The six year old's heart rate increased.

_She's gonna hurt me!_

Riko slowly scooted back, eyes widened with fear. "I-I'm sorry...I-I didn't mean to.." She whimpered. Kuvira quickly composed herself. Her face remained neutral, not showing any emotion, which scared Riko even more.  

_She's gonna hit me!_

"Please don't hurt me..." Riko continued to move back until she was at the edge of the desk.

"Riko..." Kuvira started. Riko slid back once more, but since she was already at the edge, she fell off. Acting quickly, Kuvira rushed forward and caught the girl before she hit the floor.

"I'm so sorry, Miss Kuvira!" Riko apologized fearfully. "Please don't hit me. I didn't mean it!"

"Riko. I'm not going to hurt you." Kuvira said gently. Riko looked up at the Great Uniter in confusion. "You're...not?" Kuvira shook her head. Riko was about to question her, when the sound of her growling stomach interrupted her.

"Seems like you're hungry." Kuvira commented. Riko blushed with embarrassment.

"Kinda..." Riko muttered. "Haven't eaten in a bit. That's why I tried to steal your food."

"I have some leftover dumplings. Would that be alright?"

Riko perked up. "Are they pork?" She asked hopefully. Kuvira smiled slightly and set Riko back onto the desk. She opened a drawer and pulled out a wooden container containing dumplings. Riko's mouth watered as the delicious smell hit her nostrils. She reached for a dumpling and took a bite. The meaty, savory flavor pleasantly assaulted her tastebuds, making her hum with delight.

Kuvira watched as Riko chowed down. It was obvious that the girl hadn't eaten in a while by the way she was shoveling the food down her throat. Riko even snuck a dumpling into her pocket when she thought the Great Uniter wasn't looking. The two are in silence until Riko decided to ask something that had been bugging her for a bit.

"Miss Kuvira?"

"Yes?" Kuvira swallowed, looking up at the six year old.

"When you said I was "just like you", what did you mean?" She wondered.

She sighed. "Well, when I was around your age, I was in your situation, on the streets, stealing. My parents had abandoned me as well." Riko stopped. She couldn't believe what she had just heard.  _No way! The Great Uniter was abandoned by her parents?!_

"Really?" Riko said in shock.

Kuvira nodded firmly. "Yes. Until one day, one particular person I stole from ended up changing my life."

"Wow..." It was a lot for Riko to take in.  _I never would have thought that Miss Kuvira was abandoned by her parents like I was. She seems so...strong. I didn't think she would go through something sad like that._ Riko thought.

"I guess we are alike," Riko remarked. "I never would have thought that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that's chapter two. Again I apologize for taking so long. I also apologize if the ending was a little iffy. Chapter three will be more eventful (hopefully). Critiques and thoughts are appreciated. Thanks for reading :)


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